beef and cabbage stir fry

There are many factors that go into my decision making process when it comes to my family’s dinner. One of the biggest factors in terms of choosing what to make for dinner is Time. I often have 30-45 minutes to get a complete meal on the table; sometimes more but often it’s less. Another deciding factor is Budget. I love to find recipes that are both wallet friendly and taste amazing. Yes, it has to taste great but that’s a no-brainer. When I come across a meal recipe that satisfies both those criteria, it is definitely a keeper. This is one of those recipes. It came together easily and so quick that I hardly needed anything that wasn’t already in my fridge/pantry. It had that comforting feel of take-out Chinese food but without all the grease and heaviness (and sometimes, MSG) that take-out Chinese food can come with. At first my kids saw an overwhelming mound of cabbage and they were hesitant to dive in but in no time they were at the bottom of their bowl, jockeying to see who would get the leftovers the following day. My friend and I were discussing the advantages of a “bowl” type dinner. One bowl – a layer of rice, protein and veggies and DONE! If done right, it can be fast, balanced and tasty. I already love using that model for burritos and I foresee that it will continue to be a staple in my 2017 dinner planning in the form of a bowls!

Prepare the stir fry sauce first. In a small bowl stir together the soy sauce, toasted sesame oil, sriracha, and brown sugar. Set the sauce aside.

Shred the vegetables so they are ready to go when you need them. Cut one small cabbage in half, remove the core, and then finely shred the leaves of one half the cabbage (4-6 cups once shredded, save the other half for another recipe). Peel two carrots, then use a cheese grater to shred them (1 cup shredded). Slice three green onions. Mince two cloves of garlic. Peel a knob of ginger using either a vegetable peeler or by scraping with the side of a spoon, then grate it using a small-holed cheese grater.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot add the cooking oil, ground beef, garlic, ginger, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook the beef until browned (about five minutes).

Add the cabbage and carrots to the skillet and continue to stir and cook until the cabbage is slightly wilted (or fully wilted, if you prefer). Stir in the prepared sauce and the green onions. Top with a sprinkle of sesame seeds and a drizzle of sriracha, then serve.